Today’s Wednesday Writers guest is author Barbara M. Britton, author of the Biblical romance novel Building Benjamin: Naomi’s Journey, whose story has its origins in the book of Judges from the Bible. Barbara is sharing a post, an excerpt, and a book trailer today, so keep reading to find out about Naomi’s Journey.

Building Benjamin: Naomi’s Journey –To maintain her family’s honor, can Naomi abandon the shepherd who has not only captured her body, but stolen her heart?

Welcome, Barbara!

Hi Catherine,

Thank you for having me on your blog. I love your readers!

Checking on Mom’s Facts

I thought I knew a lot about the Book of Judges in the Bible. After all, I had taught chapel and told the story of Gideon’s battle against the Midianites using glow sticks for props—“A sword for the Lord!” I had also heard about poor Samson’s troubles once his hair was cut by Delilah. I remember being at a Biblical costume party when a man came in with slinky-like goggles to represent Samson’s eye gouging incident. How creative! And of course in Judges, there’s Deborah, a pioneering female warrior for the tribes of Israel. But I had no idea at the end Judges, there is a Sodom and Gomorrah-ish story where the tribe of Benjamin is almost wiped out by the other tribes of Israel. How did I miss this?

This crazy battle among the tribes didn’t end well for Benjamin. Their tribe was left with 600 men—no women, or children. What’s a Benjamite to do since the other tribes have taken an oath not to give their daughters in marriage to those wicked Benjamites? And marrying outside the tribes of Israel is forbidden by God’s Law. Well, some bold Benjamites do a grab-and-go of unsuspecting girls who just want to dance at a feast. What happened to these girls? The Bible doesn’t give us details. We do know the tribe of Benjamin went on to give us the first king of Israel, Saul, and the apostle Paul. Babies were born, so the tribe survived.

My latest novel “Building Benjamin” follows girls who were abducted from the feast. Naomi, my heroine, is none too happy with Eliab, her kidnapper. She is waiting on a rescue until she discovers Eliab has suffered loss just like she has due to the craziness in Judges 19-21. Romeo and Juliet fell in love with each other in a short amount of time. Perhaps, Naomi and Eliab can put aside their differences and see if love is possible with God as their bond.

I knew I had to write this story when my youngest son thought I was kidding about this incident in the Bible. My son ran upstairs, grabbed his Bible, and laughed as he read about men hiding in a vineyard to snatch a wife. In all the absurdity of Judges, my latest story was born.

I hope you enjoy “Building Benjamin: Naomi’s Journey.”

Building Benjamin: Naomi’s Journey

By Barbara M. Britton

Love Grows Where God Grafts the Tender Shoot.

Naomi desires to dance well enough to catch the eye of a wealthy landowner. Her father needs a substantial bride price due to the deaths of her brothers at the hands of the tribe of Benjamin. But when Benjamites raid the Ephraimite feast and capture young girls, Naomi is bound and carried from her home by Eliab, a troubled shepherd who needs a wife.

As Naomi awaits rescue, she finds Eliab has a strong faith in God and a just reason for abducting her. A reason that affects all the tribes of Israel. The future of the tribe of Benjamin hangs in the balance, but if Naomi follows her heart and stays with Eliab to rebuild his lineage, she must forfeit her family and become a traitor to her tribe.

Excerpt:

Here’s an exchange between Naomi and Eliab after her abduction.

“Rest, Naomi. You are a tower of stones. The mule listens to one master.” Eliab’s arms closed around her, holding her next to his body. His tunic wasn’t the most comfortable bed, but his body was warm, and up until this point, he had not harmed her.

She prayed her father would find her before Eliab desired a union and made her his wife.

Fighting sleep’s snare proved useless. As the mule swayed side to side, her eyelids became millstones. When her eyes fluttered open, a pomegranate-red ribbon of sky rose above the hills. For a moment, before her body fully awakened, she floated, blissful, believing she was sleeping in her mother’s arms, rocking gently, back and forth.

Her head snapped upright. She was not in Shiloh. She was on a mule maneuvering a downward path to a wicked land.

“Ah, you’re with me.” Eliab sat as straight as a rested merchant carting goods to the market.

About the Author:

Barbara M. Britton was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, but currently lives in Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She writes Christian Fiction for teens and adults. Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Barb kicked off her Tribes of Israel series in October with the release of “Providence: Hannah’s Journey.” Naomi’s journey, “Building Benjamin” is out now. Barb is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Romance Writers of America and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America.